Our Story
WORLDWIDE MOVEMENT
IMPACT100 Sydney North is part of a worldwide movement founded by Wendy Steele in the US. In 2001 Wendy gathered 100 friends and business associates with the idea of forming a collective giving group to support sustainable solutions for people lacking access to basic necessities like healthcare, shelter, education and job training. She was looking for a way to give back and encourage others to do so, but recognised barriers such as hectic schedules and limited resources.
The IMPACT100 model caught on and expanded to over 65 chapters in the US, UK, New Zealand and Australia. Collectively IMPACT100 chapters have given away more than $123 million to local charities since 2001.
While connected by mission, each chapter is autonomous and sets their own policies, granting focus areas and timetable.
IMPACT100 COMES TO AUSTRALIA
The first Australian IMPACT100 group was established in WA in 2012. There are now seven IMPACT100 groups in Australia: WA, Fremantle, South Australia, Melbourne, Tasmania, Sydney and Sydney North.
The first IMPACT group in Sydney was established in late 2015. With a population of over 5 million people, the founding group felt certain Sydney could support a number of IMPACT groups. Putting this to the test, a year later IMPACT100 Sydney founding member, Tina Jackson, joined with David Day and a group of friends in Sydney’s north to start IMPACT100 Sydney North. James Boyd, the convenor of IMPACT100 in Australia, Geoff Day, Founder of IMPACT100 SA and many across the various IMPACT groups provided invaluable support and advice.
IMPACT100 SYDNEY NORTH
Drawing on their strong local community ties – schools, clubs, community groups, family, friends and neighbours – the IMPACT100 Sydney North founding team held the first information night at Mosman Art Gallery in September 2016. By Christmas over 50 members had joined, and by its official launch in March 2017, IMPACT100 Sydney North was well on the way to 100 members. The inaugural Grants Celebration was held in November 2017 with members voting to give their first $100,000 grant to the Barbershop Project by Information and Cultural Exchange. Thanks to members’ generosity, additional funds were raised so three $10,000 Merit Award Grants could be awarded to the remaining finalists – Orange Sky, batyr and Aurora.
In November 2018, members voted to award their second $100,000 Primary Grant to SHINE for Kids for the RISE Education Program. Three $10,000 Merit Award Grants went to finalists Dandelion Support Network, The Pyjama Foundation and SISTER2 Sister.
Our 2019 $100,000 Primary Grant Recipient was Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre for their SEED Project, with three $10,000 Merit Awards going to Asylum Seekers Centre, Outloud and KidsXpress.
In 2020 we decided to modify our granting approach and timeframe in response to COVID-19. Eight Special COVID-19 Grants were awarded at a Virtual Grants Celebration in August: $50,000 Primary Grant to Weave Youth and Community Services; three $20,000 Impact grants to Asylum Seekers Centre, Lou’s Place and StreetWork; and a further four $5,000 impact grants to Dandelion Support Network, Jesuit Refugee Service, Phoenix House Youth Services and Taldumande Youth Services.
We raised a record $160,000 in 2021 allowing us to give a Primary Grant of $100,000 to Youth Insearch and three $20,000 Impact grants to Mary’s House, The Gender Centre and The Generous and the Grateful.
In 2022, thanks to the generosity of our members, we raised the bar even higher by giving $180,000. We awarded our $100,000 Primary Grant to Bridge for Asylum Seekers, $40,000 Impact Grant to StreetWork and $20,000 Impact Grants to both Eat Up Australia and Mary’s House.
Members voted to award our 2023 $100,000 Primary Grant to the National Centre for Childhood Grief and we were thrilled to once again raise additional funds, awarding $20,000 Impact Grants to each of the other three Finalists – Mary’s House, One Meal and StreetWork.
IMPACT100 Sydney North members have given over $1million in grants since our launch in 2017, an incredible achievement. More information about our grants.